Battery drain on Multisensor 6

[aj84]

Hi all,

I suppose the first question is - if the Aoetec Multi 6 is added via mains and then switched to battery, does HS know this or does it still think it's on mains even though batteries power it?

Two of the Multi 6 sensors have died in the last 2 weeks with not much use and I'm just thinking is there over-polling on them as HS thinks they are still on mains.

One of the sensors may switch over to mains but I have a number in the house that cannot - ie those in the bathroom/ensuite have no power source and others are in the landing up high so no chance of a mains source there.

If the batteries are running out every few months, it's going to get costly.

I don't want all polling off as I do use the light lux/temp etc.

Thanks in advance

[NetworkGuy]

I'm not sure about the Aeotec ones, but I know the HomeSeer ones indicate that if they are included while plugged into power, that they'll continue to act as if they are plugged into power even if the power is removed and they run solely off the battery after inclusion. In other words, it remembers the power method during inclusion and will continue to operate that way going forward.

You may be able to test this out. Battery devices must be forced "awake" before you can communicate with them. Try to look at the Z-Wave tab of any of your unplugged devices. Do they allow communication as if they are plugged into power (even while disconnected) - e.g. doesn't require you to "awaken" the device?

If true, they may not go to sleep and may continue to "think" that they remain on power - this is how the HomeSeer ones work. This will drain batteries quickly. HomeSeer states that you would have to "exclude" the device, put it into battery power (and wake it up) before "inclusion" to resolve.

Might be worth a try for your Aoetec devices.

[aj84]

Thanks for the response.
I've just done a "test" of the device and then expanded settings. Both came back failed in terms of being able to communicate with it so I think on that side it is indeed a battery device according to HS?

There is a random update on the various sensors that just happen but apart from that I can't see what else it would be doing to drain quickly.
Entirely possible despite the batteries being Duracell, they're faulty so lets see how the next batch go.

New set inserted on 14/4 afternoon

Interestingly, I'm sure I read the reason it has TWO batteries is to last longer so this could have been dead a lot sooner.

[SteveMSJ]

Thanks for the response.

I've just done a "test" of the device and then expanded settings. Both came back failed in terms of being able to communicate with it so I think on that side it is indeed a battery device according to HS?



There is a random update on the various sensors that just happen but apart from that I can't see what else it would be doing to drain quickly.

Entirely possible despite the batteries being Duracell, they're faulty so lets see how the next batch go.



New set inserted on 14/4 afternoon



Interestingly, I'm sure I read the reason it has TWO batteries is to last longer so this could have been dead a lot sooner.

[aj84]

Thanks Steve - 3 months sounds about right for me too so with that, I think I can conclude this is normal/expected behaviour.

On the whole, the aeotec multi 6 seem to be much more reliable than the Fibaro motion sensors in terms of picking up motion, timeout period and range but the downfall is the battery life for those that cannot have a wire going to it.

Thanks again for the replies